


Ned Stark - The Kingmaker

by Kings_of_Winter



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: BAMF Ned Stark, F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-09-27 18:40:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20412475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kings_of_Winter/pseuds/Kings_of_Winter
Summary: This is a story about badass Ned Stark who would do anything for his pack.





	1. Quiet Wolf’s Contemplation

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, 
> 
> I am a new fanfiction writer. I am a fan of GRRMs "A Song of Ice and Fire" novels and Game of Thrones. Alas, I am very disappointed in the last seasons of GOT. There are a lot of fics centered around Ned Stark. Most I have seen are in character with GRRM's version and too honorable. In this story, he is more of a wolf and does everything to protect the pack and punish those that wronged them. There are a few things you need to know before reading the fic.
> 
> Ned Stark will be assertive and a little deadly to his enemies.  
Ned and Ashara are in love and he promised to marry her.  
Rickard Stark, Jon Arryn and Hoster Tully were plotting to put Robert on the throne.  
Lyanna went willingly with Rhaegar and they were married by the high septon. Elia knew and approve of their marriage.
> 
> That's it for now. I have not yet decided on the update schedule. I just have the one chapter and will decide whether to continue or not based on the response. As this is my first fore into fanfiction writing, comments and constructive criticism are always welcome.
> 
> Thanks,  
Kings_of_Winter

**Ned Stark**

The war that everyone was calling the “Robert’s Rebellion” was over. The rebels prevailed in removing the Targaryen’s from the Iron Throne. The mad king responsible for the deaths of his father, Rickard Stark, and his brother, Brandon Stark, and the prince who kidnapped his sister were dead. He should be happy about getting justice for his family and he should be happy for his friend, now the king of Westeros.

Yet, he couldn’t help but feel that the whole situation is blown out of proportion. There are too many unanswered questions. Robert may be his best friend, he might have been raised in the south but he is a Stark of Winterfell. And for a Stark, nothing is more important than the welfare of his/her pack. He loves all the members of his pack to death and knew them all well enough to question things that had been circulating since the rebellion. 

Rickard Stark may appear stern and cold when dealing with vassals and southern lords but for his children, he is nothing but kind and caring, stern at times where wolfs blood dictates our actions. Brandon is too wild and often careless about the consequences of his actions, but when it comes to protecting the pack there is nothing that he would not do. Lyanna abhorred being a lady and wanted to wield a sword like her big brothers. Though she may like swords, nothing comes close to her love for riding and no one in Winterfell, probably the whole North, could match her speed on a horse. And Benjen, the wolf pup, likes to follow in his brother's footsteps and can always be seen with Lyanna causing some mischief.

He so longed to include Jon Arryn and Robert Baratheon into the pack which is the main reason for my suggesting the betrothal between Lyanna and Robert. The war has taught me not to take things as it is. The man I considered a brother condoned the murder of children innocent of his sire’s actions and the man I considered a second father did nothing to get justice for their deaths. And the Lord who sat out the entire war was too eager to capture the capital for the new king, paving the path with the blood of innocents of King’s Landing and that of Targaryen’s in the Red keep.

He now understood that the rebellion has long been in the works for he had carefully scrutinized the actions of his father and foster father. With Brandon’s betrothal to lady Catelyn Tully, his and Robert’s fostering in the Vale and Lyanna’s betrothal to Robert, they have joined 4 of the 7 kingdoms into a coalition capable of taking on the Targaryen dynasty. The prince crowning Lyanna as the queen of love and beauty at Harrenhal may have been just the spark that lit the fire that lit the rebellion which turned into an all-out war with the ‘supposed’ abduction of his sister. He could not claim to know everything about his sister but he knew enough to conclude that no one could make Lyanna do something she didn’t want to do. How many times had she begged to break her betrothal to Robert? “Love is sweet dearest Ned, but it cannot change a man’s nature”, she said. And with how many whores he bedded during the war to liberate Lyanna from the ‘cruel dragon prince’, he could not help but realize that he was blind to Robert’s faults.

He may have not known the crown prince personally but apart from the incident with Lyanna’s crowning, he did not hear anything bad from anyone, except Robert who holds house Targaryen responsible for his parents’ death. He remembers hearing a rumor that the tourney at Harrenhal was organized by the prince himself to gather enough support to depose his mad father. He heard nothing but good things about the prince from Ashara.

Ashara Dayne, the most beautiful woman he has ever seen and the love of his life. Just thinking about her, he could not help but feel a sad ping in his heart for the broken promise he made to wed her, a promise he made in front of the weirwood tree at Harrenhal. He needed the Tully army to win and that cunt Hoster Tully would not join the rebellion without fulfilling the marriage contract his father agreed to. Even telling him that he was betrothed to another was not enough for him to demand marriages. So he had to marry lady Catelyn who, from the latest message he received, had given birth to his son and heir. He had to agree that she was a very beautiful woman and would have made a good wife for any southern lord but she would be very bad for the North. Too stuck up and too pious to the Seven and the Faith to ever respect the Old Gods and the Northern customs. He couldn’t get away with not marring Lady Catelyn if we wanted to win the war.

_ **Flashback** _

_Riverrun is a triangular castle located in the central-western part of the Riverlands and seat of House Tully. It sits at the point where the Red Fork of the Trident River is joined by its major tributary, the Tumblestone River flowing out of the west. In the times of siege, the sluice gates can be opened to fill a wide moat and leave the castle surrounded by three sides by water, leaving Riverrun into an island and leaving it practically unassailable._

_Looking at the ancient castle, Ned Stark felt trepidation which seems to come from the knowledge of what is waiting inside. Looking to the side to see his foster father, Jon Arryn, calm and collected as ever. And with those thoughts, Ned Stark and Jon Arryn and their retinues entered the castle by the drawbridge lowered for them. _

_After seeing to guest rights, he and Jon were ushered into Hoster Tully’s solar to talk with him to side with them in the rebellion. Hoster Tully is a man in his mid-40s with greying red hair and bright blue eyes that are so common Tully traits. _

_Seeing them enter his solar, Hoster stood up to greet his guests and offered them chairs to sit before starting the negotiations. Hoster studied them for a moment and looked at me for a moment before speaking._

_“I am sorry about your father and brother, Lord Stark. They were good men and they didn’t deserve their deaths at the hand of the mad king.”_

_With a sullen smile at the words, Ned replied: “Thank you, my lord.”_

_Lord Tully, now looking to Jon offered his condolences for the death of his nephew and heir, Elbert Arryn and started the negotiation._

_“I know why you are here Jon. You want the Riverlands to side with the rebels but I have to think about my family first. If you want me to involve in your war, what are you prepared to offer me?”_

_That got a look from Jon that did not go unnoticed by Ned who did not know what to make of it._

_“What do you want Hoster?” Jon questioned in response._

_“Whenever a war if fought in Westeros, Riverlands become the fishbowl. I want to avoid that and to do so I need connections to other kingdoms. I want my daughter Cat to become the lady of Winterfell as negotiated by Rickard and Lysa to be the lady of the Eyrie.”_

_Before Jon could answer, I interrupted him. “My lord, I am already betrothed.”_

_That got a reaction from Hoster and his composed look cracked for a moment but it was on again. “Those are my terms. Take it or leave it.”_

_Jon contemplated the situation for a minute and looked to me as if imploring to accept. He knew as well as I that we need the Riverlands to match the crowns’ army. If we win, he could find a way to break the marriage. With that in mind, he resigned himself to what is to come and looked to Jon before accepting the conditions. Within a week they were wedded and bedded and he was off to war._

_**Flashback Ends**_

Now he was here, on the way to find Lyanna and bring her home and apologize for ever suggesting her betrothal to Robert. After his row with Robert over the deaths of Princess Elia Martell and her children, he went to Storms’ End to lift the siege where he got a message with Lyanna’s location. It is a lone tower in the Princes’ Pass in the dornish marches. After that, he selected a few of his companions, gave orders to the northern army to march home except Maege Mormont, Jon Umber, and Wyman Manderley, who are to take 200 men each and camp near King’s Landing until his return and made a quick departure to find Lyanna.

Camped for the night he carefully observed his friends who insisted on accompanying him on his mission. Howland Reed, the lord of the Neck, is as close to Lyanna as any of them. They met him at Harrenhal and became fast friends. Willem Dustin was Brandon’s, who was fostered at Barrowtown, best friend. Ethan Glover was Brandon’s squire who accompanied him to King’s Landing and the only one of his companions to have survived. Mark Ryswell, Martin Cassel and Theo Wull are loyal to House Stark. 

“What are you thinking about Ned?” 

He looked around to see that the question came from Howland. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn’t know what the others were discussing.

“A lot of things Howland. I am thinking about Lyanna, Brandon, my father and the people we lost and what the future holds. And the innocents lost to the whims of ambitious lords, about broken promises and my son. I am thinking about how even we won the war, I feel like I lost everything.”

“We will get Lyanna back Ned and then we can go back home.”

He had no response to that other than just an imperceptible nod. He looked around the others and his gaze fixed on Ethan.

“Ethan, you were with Brandon at Riverrun. Why did he think that Lyanna was kidnapped?”

That has got all of his companions in a stunned state. They probably didn’t think twice that Lyanna might have gone willingly with the prince. 

Ethan especially looked startled but answered eventually: “He was in a hurry that he hadn’t mentioned anything but I saw him talking to Lysa Tully just before.”

Howland, eventually having been caught up to his line of thought asked: “You think that Lya went willingly with the prince.”

“I don’t know yet but I cannot tell you how many times she raged at my father for accepting Roberts’ proposal for marriage and how she kept telling me that he will not change his whoring ways even after marriage. At the time I was too excited to have Robert as a family and thought that he was a better man than he is. The war has shown me he is not a good man. How many whores did he bed during the war while saying that he loves Lyanna? And I cannot get it out of my head that he laughed at the corpses of Elia Martell and her children. I even have doubts that Jon Arryn was plotting to overthrow the Targaryen’s to seat Robert on the throne long before Harrenhal and I think my father was in on it. With Brandon and Lyanna’s betrothal and my fostering, they connected 4 of the 7 kingdoms.”

That got everyone to be silent. Looking at them, one can see that they are contemplating the implications of my thoughts. It was Willem who was the first to react.

“Damn. Now that I think about it, you may be right Ned. Brandon was very unhappy with his betrothal but your father wouldn’t budge. Maybe he just went after Lyanna to avoid his marriage.”

“Possible. But I think the Tullys had a hand in his decision. Ethan, how did Lysa seem to you while you were at Riverrun?”

“Now that you mention it, she seemed sad. But there was also anger. I overheard some servants talking that she was in love with that kid Brandon trashed. He had been driven out from there and that her father did something to her that got her looking sickly.”

“How did she seem towards her sister?”

“I think there was resentment there.”

He gave a nod to that. “Did Hoster send anyone after you after you left Riverrun?”

“No.” was Ethan’s answer.

With everything Ethan told and from my thoughts, I have concluded that someone used House Stark to start the war. All of this confirms that he must be a better lord than his father and put North first instead of any southern ambitions. And, I can’t help but feel betrayed by his father, foster father, friend and goodfather. And once I am done with him, Hoster fucking Tully will no longer be his goodfather. Looking to his companions again, who are looking at me for answers, he decided to share his thoughts and conclusions.

“I think Lyanna went with the prince willingly, to get out of her betrothal. Until I talk to her, I can’t know the princes’ motivation. And I have heard enough about Ser Arthur to know that he would not willingly aid a kidnapper. And if she wanted to, Lyanna could outrace all of them to escape. 

Lyanna may be impulsive but she is not stupid. She would have left a note or asked someone to inform Brandon and that someone I believe is lady Lysa. I don’t know why she said Lyanna was kidnapped but I guess that she wanted to delay her sisters’, who was in love with Brandon, marriage as the boy she loved was sent away. Brandon being the idiot he is probably didn’t question her and would have found it as a perfect opportunity to avoid his marriage as long as possible. If he wanted, Hoster could have sent his men after Bran to stop him or written to his vassals to do the same. If he managed to wring the truth out of Lysa, then this is the perfect opportunity to start the war they have been waiting for. It didn’t matter to him which Stark is marrying his daughter as long as he is a Stark. Now that I am married to his daughter, he probably thinks that his position secure even if the truth comes to light.

And everything I have heard about the prince paints him as a good man. We all know that Princess Elia cannot have any more children and if he could convince the High Septon of this, he could take Lya as a second wife which is not uncommon for Targaryens.

And all of their plans went to shit over a single lie.”

That declaration had everyone’s mouths hanging open in surprise. Whether it be because of the declaration itself or that the quiet wolf was the one who put together is anyone’s guess.

After long contemplation and after everyone found their wits, Howland was the first to respond.

“That was something Ned and makes sense.”

“Fucking southerners” came the exclamation from Theo.

“What are we going to do Ned? It seems we can’t even trust the friends we have in the south” asked Mark.

“I don’t know yet and until I talk to Lyanna we can’t know that this is the entire truth. One thing I can promise you is that Hoster will pay for his actions and if he thinks his blood will rule Winterfell, he has another thing coming.”

Everyone except Howland was grinning from ear to ear at my outburst. Howland smiled at me knowingly and asked wryly, “And this has nothing to do with your Star, Ned?”

That got the tip of my ears red either from heat or embarrassment and that sent everyone into guffaws. Composing himself quickly and throwing a glare at Howland who seems unbothered and answered him. “You already know this Howland. I promised Ashara in front of a weirwood that I would marry her. And I took Catelyn as my wife in a sept. If I had to break one of those promises, I know which I would choose.” And that got genuine smiles from everyone.

With that everyone went to bed for the night. Ned still has so many unanswered questions that can only be found at the Tower of Joy.


	2. Tower of Joy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned reaches Tower of Joy and finally gets some answers.

**Ned Stark **

Another week went by before the solitary tower in the Prince’s Pass appeared on the horizon. The tower, dubbed Tower of Joy, is located on the northern edge of the Red Mountains of Dorne. They built it from red stones, which allows it to merge with its surroundings. It looks like one watchtower Dorne built along its borders to scout upon an encroaching army. The location suggests that they built it to keep watch on the Stormlands. Apart from the mountains, there is no structure within the visible distance of the tower, making it the perfect location to hide.

Unease and uncertainty are prevalent among his companions. Every one of their thoughts revolves around what they expect to find at the tower. Of the three kingsguard who were present neither at the Trident or King’s Landing, who is defending the tower? How is his sister coping with the deaths of their father and brother? Hoping to get the answers, they started the last leg of their journey.

At the base of the tower, waiting for them is not one but all the three missing kingsguard: Ser Arthur Dayne, Ser Oswell Whent and the Lord Commander, Ser Gerold Hightower. They look resplendent in their silver armor with the three-headed dragon insignia of House Targaryen, their pristine white cloaks billowing in the wind. They looked ready to cut down any who dared to enter the tower. Despite their fear and nervousness, his companions looked ready to defend their liege lord. Not ready to sacrifice their lives, he removed his sword belt and handed it to Martyn Cassel. Commanding them to not interfere, he took a step forward to confront the knights.

Raising his hands, a gesture to show he is not to fight, he greeted the three men with the respect they are due: “Ser Arthur, Ser Oswell, and Ser Gerold”. If the gesture surprised them, they didn’t show it. The knights scrutinized his men for a long while before looking and each other as if prompting the other to deal with it. Releasing a sigh, Ser Arthur took a step forward to address them.

“Lord Stark.”

“I looked for you at the trident. Why weren’t you there?”

“Our prince wanted us here,” Ser Gerold answered.

“Woe to the usurper if we had been,” said Ser Oswell.

“I suspect that that might have been a good thing.”

This time they couldn’t hide their shock. They never expected a rebel lord, specifically me, to hope for Robert’s death.

“What had the usurper done Lord Stark, other than laughing at the corpses of children, to have you wanting him dead? I thought you were best friends,” asked Ser Arthur Dayne.

“I don’t know how much you know about northern customs Ser Arthur, but we do not take death lightly. The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. I fought in the war to get justice for my father and brother and to get my sister back, and justice doesn’t involve dead children. I didn’t know others were planning to crown Robert until it happened. I went along with it for anyone is better than Aerys and Robert had a claim through his grandmother, Rhaelle Targaryen. The Robert I thought I knew would not laugh at the death of innocents. It seems I didn’t know him at all.”

He continued: “I know you have a lot of questions and so do we. A lot of actions by those involved in this mess make little sense. We need you to clarify some and before we do that I just need to talk to Lyanna.”

He walks towards the steps that lead to the top of the tower. He caught the order the Lord Commander gave to Ser Arthur to accompany me. He could hear the faint click of armor, which suggests the knight is on his tail.

When he reached the top, he came upon three doors. Not knowing which room Lyanna is in, he turned to the door on the right when he heard a low humming, in a woman’s voice, come from the middle room. Concluding that it was Lyanna, he went to open the door. He took a few minutes to collect himself for what is waiting on the other side; he opens the door. The first thing he sees is a woman, not Lyanna, sitting by a bed humming to herself while stitching. The sound of the door opening alerted her to stand and take in the newcomers. Not know who he is, she looked at the kingsguard trailing me who gave a small nod to show that it is okay which seems to calm her. 

Ned turned his attention to the bed. The first thing he noticed is the blood-covered sheets and a woman lying in it. He also notes a faint smell of winter roses lingering in the air. As he came upon the face of the woman, he choked back a gasp as he recognized it as his little sister. She looked pale and her breathing labored. He ran to his sisters’ side and held her hand. Even looking as she is, she looked as beautiful as ever. With a trembling hand, he stroked her hair.

“What happened?” he asked no one in particular. Distracted as he is, he didn’t see the small crib in the corner.

He heard shuffling sounds but there was no clinking sound showing the woman was the one moving about the room. She went to the crib to pick up the sleeping babe.

“Birthing fever, my lord.”

On hearing that, he turned his head so quickly, any faster and he might have twisted his neck. It is then he took notice of the crib and the sleeping babe in the maid’s hands. So transfixed by the babe, he was silent for a few minutes before gathering his wits.

“May I?” he asked the maid gesturing to the babe.

In response, the maid looked to the kingsguard who gave her a nod. She made her way to the bedside and handed me the babe. He held Lyanna and Benjen when they were born, so he handled his nephew with ease. Looking down at his nephew, he saw that the babe inherited his mothers’ Stark look, little tufts of brown hair peeking out from under the hood and a long face. His nephew looked like Benjen as a babe.

He felt his nephew stirring from sleep, all the shifting must have woken him up. When he opened his eyes, obsidian eyes, he looked at Ned with an inquisitive gaze that brought a smile to Ned’s face. Seeing the smile directed at him, the babe gurgled happily.

“What’s his name?” Ned asked.

“Aemon Targaryen. Rhaegar thought it was a girl and wanted to name her Visenya, so he didn’t think of any names for a boy. But Lyanna was sure it was a boy, she finally wore him down and chose Aemon, after his great uncle, who is serving in the Night’s Watch.”

“They married, then?”

“They were. At the Isle of Faces. The High Septon officiated the ceremony and Oswell and I witnessed it,” replied Arthur.

“How long was she unconscious?” Ned enquired looking back at his sister. 

“Since giving birth, two days ago. After Rhaegar’s death, she barely ate and then we received news from the capital. The undue stress had forced her to deliver the babe early. We thought to get a maester when the time comes, but she went into labor two weeks early. Wylla is serving as her maid and has some experience as a mid-wife. The nearest maester is at least four days and she didn’t have that long. She is just holding on for something,” replied Arthur. 

That explains why there is no maester here. And then it sinks in that his sister will die. He needs some time to clear his head. With that, he hands his nephew to Wylla after requesting her to inform him the moment Lyanna wakes up. He strides out of the room and down the stairs with Arthur trailing him. He went past his companions without answering their request for information. He heard Ser Arthur informing them to give me some time alone, as he neared his horse. Without looking back, he got on his horse and rode away.

The sun had set by the time he returned to the tower hours later. His companions looked relieved at my return. They were about to ask what happened when Wylla came running down the stairs to inform them Lyanna is awake. He raced up the stairs to get some answers and talk to his sister, probably for the last time.

Ned opened the door to find Lyanna with a sad smile that seemed to brighten upon seeing him. He went to his sister and took her right hand in his.

“Lya. I’m here.”

“Hello, Ned.”

“How are you doing?”

“I am dying, brother. I was hoping I would see you before I die.”

“Don’t talk like that Lya. You will not die,” replied Ned with a thick voice.

“It’s all right, Ned. I made my peace with it.”

“I’m sorry, Lya. I’m sorry for not listening to you. I’m sorry for ever suggesting your betrothal to Robert. I’m sorry for not recognizing Robert for what he is. If I had, we would not be here.”

“You are a good man, Ned. You want to see the best in people even when they don’t deserve it. I just wish things hadn’t come to this.”

“Why didn’t you tell anyone you were going with the prince, Lya?”

The question surprised Lyanna so much that she tried to move, making her grimace in pain.

“I did, Ned. I left a letter for Brandon at Riverrun and sent a raven to father from Harrenhal. Are you telling me they didn’t receive them?”

“No, Lya. There was no mention of any letters.”

Upon hearing that she gave an empty chuckle. “It had to have been that bastard, Walys. He never liked me and he was always whispering into fathers’ ears. Rhaegar told me that some maesters are plotting to remove House Targaryen from power. He wanted to weed them out once he became king. Walys must have been one of them. If he didn’t show my letter to father, then father would have believed that Rhaegar kidnapped me along with everyone else.”

“That doesn’t explain why Brandon rushed off to King’s Landing. Who did you give the letter to?”

“Lysa Tully. I told her I was leaving and how important it is to deliver the letter to Brandon. She didn’t give it to him?”

“I don’t know what happened Lya. Ethan is the only one of Brandon’s party who survived Aerys’ madness. He saw Brandon talking to Lysa before they left and Brandon didn’t tell them anything except Rhaegar kidnapped you. We think maybe she might have lied to Brandon to stop her sister’s wedding. Ethan told me she resented her older sister.”

“So many innocents died because of the lies perpetuated.”

A glance at the crib brought steel to her eyes. Looking to me, she told: “I want you to meet someone brother.” With that, she asked Wylla to bring her son to her.

“I have already met him Lya. He is a beautiful babe, looks like a proper Stark,” Ned said with pride in his voice, which brought tears to her eyes. 

“I don’t get to see him grow up. I won’t be able to protect him. Promise me you’ll protect him, Ned. Promise me.” Her breath became shallower with each word.

With tears of his own, he replied, “You don’t have to ask me Lya. I promise that I’ll protect him with everything I have.” That brought a full smile to his sister’s face. 

Steeling his own emotions, he promised his sister something else. “I promise you Lya, that I will do everything in my power to get your son his birthright. I swear it by the Old Gods and the New.” Upon hearing the promise, his sister drew her final breath. Immediately, the babe started wailing. Try as he might, he could not stop his tears streaming down his face.


End file.
